14:50 Cheltenham

Wednesday 11 March 2020

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 14:52 | Winning time: 5m 25.40s

Kilfenora²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁷⁾| T: E P Harty| OR: 154| BF

40/1

Landed a 2m4f handicap at Navan after a cosy win at Naas in November. Had excuses when unsuited by a slowly run race in a Grade 2 latest (won by Cracking Smart) and likely to be suited to the cavalry charge style of this.

Form: 55-3114

Cracking Smart^b,t²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Gavin Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 153| D

33/1

Bounced back to form when quickening up best in a slowly run Grade 2 at Navan last time; this is a completely different affair though and doesn't rate as the sort who will back that up from his revised mark here.

Form: F8P751

Eglantine Du Seuil³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: W P Mullins| OR: 149| C

16/1

Won the mares' novice here last year and subsequently placed twice in Grade 1 company at the end of the season. Bounced back to form with a good fourth in a valuable Leopardstown handicap last time and may have won if not circling most of the field.

Form: 13-3354

Bachasson²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148| D

33/1

Has failed to finish in two previous runs at the Festival, falling in the 2018 Gold Cup when last seen here. Well beaten third behind Cracking Smart in a Grade 2 hurdle on reappearance but feasibly handicapped if he comes on for that run.

Form: 11F/14-3

Ballymoy⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 148

50/1

Prolific in 2018 and that run culminated in a Grade 3 success at Ascot in January last year. Didn't take to chasing earlier this campaign and return at Ascot was disappointing, others preferred.

Form: 76-2225

Franco De Port⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148

10/1

Winner on debut for this yard at Gowran and posted a very promising effort behind mares' hurdle contender Stormy Ireland at Naas in January; could be short on experience for a race of this nature.

Form: 1-172

Top Moon³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 146

20/1

Unsuited by a drop in trip at Leopardstown last time behind some of these and while the step up in trip will suit, the handicapper has taken no chances with his mark on return here; looks progressive at least.

Form: 122120

Birchdale¹¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson| OR: 146| C| D

14/1

Grade 2 winner here as a novice but things haven't worked out since, tailed off at last year's Festival prior to not taking to fences at Ascot in November; could easily be well-handicapped from this sort of mark but arrives here with a bit to prove.

Form: 1/11P-3

Canardier^h⁷⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145| CD

13/2

C&D winner prior to a good fifth in this last year and ran with credit at the Aintree meeting and Punchestown Festival towards the end of the campaign. Hasn't looked a natural over fences but claims back over hurdles on debut for new yard.

Form: 153-7F7

Coko Beach^p1⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: L P Dempsey| T: G Elliott| OR: 145

40/1

Excellent runner-up in the Fred Winter last year but hasn't gone on from a promising start to the season this term; needs to find improvement for the fitting of first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 2-512F0

Sayo³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: M P Fogarty| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145

33/1

Well beaten in two recent hurdle starts and very disappointing in two previous starts over fences. Yard have stronger claims with several of their other runners.

Form: 418P30

Stratum⁷¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: R M Power| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145

14/1

Cesarewitch winner on the Flat in October but hasn't looked quite as good over hurdles, particularly at this sort of trip.

Form: 0-41924

Protektorat^h⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 144| C

12/1

Got his head in front over a similar trip on the new course here in January prior to what looked a harsh disqualification. A shade keen in Grade 2 company here when third last time but had a troubled trip and he's less exposed than plenty in here.

Form: 57-2213

Black Tears^p²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 144

12/1

Good fourth in the mares' novice last year and she's been going well this year, landing a valuable handicap at Leopardstown last month. Respectable second in a Grade 3 at Punchestown last time but 11lb higher than her handicap success.

Form: 3P2312

The Mighty Don³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: James Davies| T: N J Gifford| OR: 143| BF| C

66/1

3m winner here in October 2018 but hasn't won since and remains 8lb higher than that mark here; hard to fancy after two recent falls over fences.

Form: 8-334FF

Traffic Fluide^p²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 142| CD

25/1

Looked like he was in with every chance before hitting and falling at the last at Ascot last time; staying on best. Given a very workable mark for handicap debut over hurdles and not ruled out if none the worse for that fall.

Form: 011/21-F

Chesterfield¹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: J McGrath| T: J W Mullins| OR: 142| C

100/1

Won here as a novice and fourth in 2018's County. Hasn't quite looked the force of old of late and didn't show much over hurdles last time out.

Form: 31-2364

Alfa Mix⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonathan Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 142

14/1

Kept on well for second behind Kilfernora last time out at Navan when second of 12. 2lb better off with that rival at the weights and it could well be an interesting form line; small step up in trip should suit.

Form: 641512

Champagne Well^t⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: B S Hughes| T: F O'Brien| OR: 141| BF| CD

8/1

C&D winner here at the Showcase meeting before two more highly promising efforts here. Only found a smart subsequent Grade 2 winner too good at Doncaster last time out and potentially has more to come.

Form: 36-1222

Dame De Compagnie^h⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson| OR: 140| C

5/1

Winner here in April 2018 and while she missed all of the following season, she improved from a promising reappearance to win here over a similar trip on the new course in December. That form looks solid and she's interesting from 8lb higher mark.

Form: 1521/51

Honest Vic^v⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly| OR: 140| D

33/1

Has won two of his three starts this season and 8lb higher than his latest success when winning at Kempton. This is tougher but he's run well in defeat in two previous starts at this venue and not without each-way claims here.

Form: 2U5-141

Thosedaysaregone³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: K J Brouder⁽³⁾| T: C Byrnes| OR: 139

10/1

Won a valuable handicap at Leopardstown last month but arrives here 13lb higher than that narrow success and has never won over this far; others make more appeal.

Form: 4518-61

Golan Fortune^p³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr S Lee⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 139| C| D

66/1

Progressive last season winning three handicaps and got his head back in front in a Listed handicap here at the November meeting. Pulled up on return at Sandown last time and would need a career best to figure here from this mark.

Form: 230/01P

Burrows Edge^p1⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138| D

14/1

Returned to winning ways over a similar trip at Kempton in January and looked like he had the favourite beat when left in front at the last. First-time cheekpieces need to eke out more but that's entirely possible.

Form: 26/23-F1

Fagan²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales| OR: 138

66/1

Runner-up in the Albert Bartlett in 2016 but hadn't been seen for 665 days prior to his return at Haydock when seventh of 10; big ask to go from that run to winning this.

Form: P122P/7

Non-Runners

Mister Blue Sky³⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: W P Mullins J: D J Mullins

Forecasts

Dame De Compagnie (5/1), Canardier (13/2), Champagne Well (8/1), Thosedaysaregone (10/1), Franco De Port (10/1), Black Tears (12/1), Protektorat (12/1), Alfa Mix (14/1), Birchdale (14/1), Burrows Edge (14/1), Stratum (14/1), Eglantine Du Seuil (16/1), Top Moon (20/1), Traffic Fluide (25/1), Cracking Smart (33/1), Honest Vic (33/1), Bachasson (33/1), Sayo (33/1), Mister Blue Sky (33/1), Coko Beach (40/1), Kilfenora (40/1), Ballymoy (50/1), Golan Fortune (66/1), Fagan (66/1), The Mighty Don (66/1), Chesterfield (100/1)

A typically competitive renewal of this race and the five JP McManus runners declared for this are interesting. Irish raiders Alfa Mix and top-weight Kilfenora bring in similar form lines from some competitive handicaps in Ireland. Eglantine Du Seuil is another Irish contender who could be well ahead of her mark but preference is for DAME DE COMPAGNIE who has course form to her name. Nicky Henderson's mare is only up 8lb for her latest success and she has a less exposed profile than many in here.